“AI + Cross-Border E-Commerce” Micro-certification Programme Takes Shape in Malaysia
Amid the accelerating pace of technological advancement and industrial transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping global economic structures, industrial landscapes, and societal operations with unprecedented depth and breadth. Beyond transforming pathways of knowledge production and technological diffusion, AI is placing systemic demands on higher education to redefine talent development objectives, pedagogical models, and collaborative mechanisms. In recent months, the the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO (UNESCO-ICHEI) has been actively exploring the development of a new AI-driven ecosystem for industry–academia collaborative talent cultivation. As one of the first pilot initiatives, the "AI + Cross-Border E-Commerce" micro-certification programme will be rolled out in several key countries by UNESCO-ICHEI, in close collaboration with IIOE National Centres.
Malaysia, as one of the pilot countries for the "AI + Cross-Border E-Commerce" micro-certification programme, has made positive progress in advancing the programme. From 12 to 14 May, Mr. SIT Fung, Assistant Director and Chief of the Global Partnership and Programme Office of UNESCO-ICHEI, together with Mr. XU Yifan, Course Product Manager of the IIOE Management Centre, and Mr. ZHANG Boyi, Programme Officer of the Global Partnership and Programme Office, conducted a series of intensive engagements in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. During those meetings, the delegation met with relevant stakeholders and reached preliminary consensus on key areas such as the localization of the curriculum and potential pathways for joint implementation.
On 13 May, the UNESCO-ICHEI delegation, together with professors from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)— which serves as the International Institute of Online Education (IIOE) Malaysia National Centre — visited the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to explore opportunities for collaboration. Discussions centred on the potential co-development of IIOE "AI+ industry" courses, with particular emphasis on the "AI+ Cross-Border E-commerce" micro-certification programme. The delegation also gained insights into MCMC's National Information Dissemination Centre Digital Inclusion Project, which presents potential for integration with the IIOE platform to further advance digital inclusion and skills development in the country.
UNESCO-ICHEI visited the MCMC After that, UNESCO-ICHEI visited the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). The exchange focused on "AI + Cross-Border E-Commerce" micro-certification curriculum design and the joint certification mechanism, while also reviewing MDEC's existing e-commerce trainings to inform the programme's local adaptation and implementation. UNESCO-ICHEI visited the MDEC On 14 May, UNESCO-ICHEI held a dedicated consultation session at the School of Business and Economics of the Universiti Putra Malaysia (SBE UPM) to discuss the overall framework and curriculum design of the programme. The meeting was chaired by Professor Dr. Bany Ariffin Amin Noordin, Dean of the School of Business and Economics, and brought together Prof. Dr. Ismi Arif Ismail, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UPM, Prof. Habibah Ab Jalil, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Educational Studies and Director of IIOE Malaysia National Centre, as well as professors from the School of Business and Economics's "AI + Cross-Border E-Commerce" programme team. UNESCO ICHEI visited the School of Business and Economics of the Universiti Putra Malaysia (SBE UPM) to discuss the design of the programme.
The discussion reviewed the key outcomes of previous engagements with partners, including the MCMC and the MDEC, and put forward preliminary ideas on joint certification mechanisms and the implementation of in-person training components. Both sides also reached a preliminary consensus on integrating the course into campus entrepreneurship programmes and the existing curriculum, marking an important step forward in the localisation of the programme in Malaysia. Furthermore, on 12 May, the UNESCO-ICHEI delegation met with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Husaina Banu Kenayathulla, Deputy Dean (Higher Degrees), Faculty of Education, University of Malaya (UM). Discussions focused on the "AI + Cross-Border E-Commerce" micro-certification programme, UM's strategies for digital capacity building, including institutional approaches to enhancing digital skills across faculty and staff. UNESCO-ICHEI visited the University of Malaya (UM)
